Artichoke and Feta Stuffed Chicken

As promised, I made something other than red meat!! I always have chicken on hand in the freezer because I stock up like a hoarder when it goes on sale buy one get one free. When I stock up I separate into individual portions and freeze. I'm such an innovator, right?! Kidding. Chicken gets a bad wrap because, be honest, it can be kind of lame...unless it's fried. I don't go to a restaurant and order a chicken entree. I order a steak or seafood...or if I am paying for myself just an appetizer or a salad. But there really is so much you can do with chicken. It's a staple and a go-to so don't hate. Like always, I use what I have available in the fridge and pantry.  For some reason I had artichokes in my head so that's where I went. Enjoy!

Ingredients 
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup light balsamic vinaigrette dressing (I used Ken's, they always have coupons)
1/2 can artichoke hearts in water
1/2 tomato, seeded and diced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1/4 cup white wine (I like Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tbsp feta cheese (more or less depending on your love of cheese)
Optional: splash of balsamic vinegar and fresh parsley to garnish

Start by butterflying the chicken so you can stuff it. Do this by sliding the knife parallel to the cutting board but don't cut the chicken all the way through, or you will just have two chicken cutlets. Open it up like this...

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper to your taste. Place the chicken in a ziploc bag and add balsamic vinaigrette. Let it marinate while you start the stuffing mixture.

For the stuffing preheat a skillet on medium low. Add butter and olive oil to the pan. Chop the artichoke hearts into quarters. Mince the garlic and shallots.

Add all the ingredients to the skillet and let it saute until soft. Add the wine (directly from the glass you are drinking from, classy). Throw in the tomatoes last.

I got new cookware! Thanks to B's mom for the great birthday present!

While the mixture is sauteing, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the marinated chicken on a foil lined baking sheet and add the mixture to one side. Top with feta cheese and fold the other side of the chicken over.

You may need to use toothpicks to keep it closed if you have a monster piece of chicken like I did.

Cook the chicken for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness. When the chicken is finished drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with feta cheese, and parsley.

Here's the yumminess that you will see when you dive in...

Try and tell me that chicken is boring! 

Skirt Steak Pitas with Garlic Aioli

I am such a carnivore. I swear I eat things other than meat. It's just not as exciting to blog about. That's awful. After this post, and the subsequent post with the leftovers I will be posting chicken, veggies, and pasta. I promise. But I'm not sorry because this was so good! The best part...I paid $3.52 for the skirt steak on sale at Harris Teeter. Hollerrrrrrr! I'm love a sale!

Skirt Steak & Marinade
1 lb. skirt steak (or flank steak)
2 tbsp Dale's Steak Seasoning (or use Worcestershire mixed with soy sauce)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. pepper (I didn't add any additional salt because Dale's seasoning is SALTY)

Garlic Aioli
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Assembly Ingredients
White or Whole Wheat pitas sliced in half
Feta cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand)
Chopped Parsley
Balsamic marinated tomatoes (fresh diced tomatoes, seeded, and marinated in balsamic vinegar)

Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a wide dish and add the skirt steak. Coat the steak on both sides and allow to marinade for a few hours. I let it go overnight because I'm a grad student and I've got that kind of time to avoid doing a case study and focus on food. So let that puppy "merinate".

While the steak marinades whip up the garlic aioli. Whisk all the aioli ingredients together in a bowl until combined. You are looking for the mayo to loosen up and for the sauce to be pourable. And garlicky!!

Now for the grill. I had to do this part myself because B is gone. I'm learning the skill on the grill but I now smell like smoke and steak. I was also scared for my eyebrows....cheaper than waxing I guess. I digress. Preheat the grill to medium high and let the steak sit out at room temperature while you wait. Once the grill is heated lower the heat so you don't char your face off and cook the steak for about 5 minutes and flip. Cook for 3-5 more minutes depending on thickness and preferred doneness.

They see me grillin', they hatin'! I wish I could have captured my face but Peyton (my dog) doesn't know how to work the camera. 

Remove from the grill and allow the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the "juices to redistribute". Food Network what.

Slice the steak against the grain (or the direction of the fibers of the steak). This will keep the steak tender and juicy, not stringy. Be sure to toot your own horn after.

To assemble this package from heaven slice the pita bread in half and open the pita pocket gently. Fill with the slices of steak and top with feta cheese, balsamic tomatoes, and of course garlic aioli. Ready for this...

I couldn't decide which picture I liked better. I ate this in under 2 minutes flat. It might be more accurate to say I inhaled it. And you will too :)

Chipotle Salsa

This is random but whenever I think about salsa I think of that Eminem song when he keeps saying "my salsa" and it's really weird. I don't even remember what song it is I only remember that. Any who I have tried to make salsa a few times with fresh tomatoes and it just wasn't working. It was this weird pink color and didn't have a ton of flavor. This version used canned diced tomatoes and involves throwing everything in the food processor and hitting the button. Pretty foolproof. It's delicious and perfect for the person who doesn't like chunky salsa, or if you are trying to hide the ingredients for a certain someone (B I'm looking at you Mr. I Hate Vegetables). Sneaky sneaky!

Ingredients

1 can diced tomatoes

1/4 of a small white onion, rough chopped

1/2-1 jalapeno (remove the seeds if you don't like it too spicy)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1-2 cloves of garlic, rough chopped

1 small handful fresh parsley

1 or 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (start with 1 and add more if you still want it hotter, they have a smoky heat that creeps up on you)

Add all the ingredients in the food processor. 

Pulse to chop until you get the desire consistency. I like it to be pretty smooth like the kind you get at a mexican restaurant. 

Grab some chips and dig in! This will only get better as it sits in the fridge. I am eating it now after making it a few days ago and it's even more flavorful. Never buying salsa again! Whoop whoop!

Bacon (sometimes blue cheese) Coleslaw

I love coleslaw. Love, love, love it! I cannot get enough. B hates it. I don't think he has even tried it but he is convinced it's horrible. Weirdo. I eat it as a snack I love it so much. This recipe is a make at home version of one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston called Fat Hen. Just look at the menu, it's like heaven! They make a Bacon Blue Cheese Coleslaw that is to die for. I overdid my blue cheese obsession so I didn't use it in this version, and I didn't have any on hand. This slaw is the perfect side for BBQ, seafood, sandwiches, you name it.

Ingredients
1 bag tri color coleslaw
1/4 head shredded red cabbage (I never feel like there is enough in the bag stuff so I always add more)
1 cup mayonnaise
5 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar, I have made this with both and it's equally delicious)
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. chopped green onion
1-2 tbsp. bacon pieces
Optional: 1-2 tbsp blue cheese

Combine mayo, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, parsley, green onion, and blue cheese (if using)  in a mixing bowl. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.

Shred the red cabbage to the desired thickness and toss in the dressing with the bag of coleslaw mix. Toss until mixed. Sprinkle with bacon pieces and extra parsley to garnish. 

Homemade BBQ Sauce and Ribs

The food bender is over. B had to leave today :( Back to "runnin on the treadmill and only eatin' salad" (Who knows the song?!). Sike! Salad is my pre meal warmup. Back to watching trashy tv would be more accurate. We ate pretty well last week and now it's time to tell y'all about it. So first up we have homemade BBQ sauce and ribs! I made the sauce and B did the ribs. I don't mess with him and his ribs. I will try to describe his process to the best of my ability so bear with me (side note is that the right use of bare vs. bear, I should probably know this...)! According to B the BBQ sauce was delicious. It took him a few tastes to figure out what it needed then he couldn't stop tasting it. I would recommend making a big batch. We used the whole batch at once so now I need to remake. This is a slightly sweet and vinegary sauce, perfect for a rainy Carolina afternoon.

Homemade BBQ Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 shakes hot sauce (I use Frank's, add more or less depending on your taste)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until sugar is completely dissolved. That's it! The longer it hangs out in the fridge the more the flavors will deepen. Make a lot! I promise you will fly through it!

Here's it's photo shoot with B's ribs hanging out in the back. 

Ok, B's slow cooked ribs. These are pretty simple and amazingly delicious!! Coat the ribs in the dry rub of your choice. We used Sticky Fingers BBQ rub. It's a local rib joint in Charleston but use whatever works for you. 

Wrap the ribs in foil and let them slow cook in the oven on 200 degrees. B let them go for about 4 hours basting them in between with a little of the BBQ sauce and the fat from the ribs. After they have tenderized in the oven he covered them with more BBQ sauce and finished them on the grill over a low flame for about an hour. The sauce will caramelize and get a yummy crunch to the ribs. We served it with my bacon coleslaw recipe (next post). 

Now the moment you have all been waiting for!! Cue lights and music.

B can throwdown on the grill! See ya soon Bobby Flay! Haha :) Summer time is here! Atleast in Charleston...

Man Pleasin' Meatloaf and Mashed 'Tatas

Continuing the food bender!! Oh my gosh we are so full. This is a go-to recipe for me. I think it's one of the first things I learned how to cook. And men love it! It's meat and cheese, so really who doesn't love it. It's also about as easy as it gets...1 bowl, 1 pan, BAM! This is the only time I have measured when I made this so feel free to improvise as needed. I don't think you can mess this up. Being the cheese freak I am I learned to stuff that baby with mozzarella a long time ago. It makes the meatloaf. I'm too full for anymore witty banter, just try it!

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp steak sauce
1 1/2 tsp parmesan cheese
5 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

I forgot the steak sauce in the picture for anyone with an eagle eye!

Mix the first 11 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Pretty complicated, huh? I use my hands because I'm cool like that. Be careful not to overmix. This is what you are going for. I used a huge mixing bowl so this looks ridiculous but you get the point. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the meat mixture into a foil lined pan. You want to flatten it out and add the cheese, and shape into a loaf after. See....

Fold the meat around the cheese to create the traditional loaf shape you are dying to see! Make sure you seal it up good so all the melty cheese doesn't escape into the pan. Top with some ketchup to help it get brown and gooey.

Place the meatloaf into the preheated over and let cook for 25-30 minutes. Here's the goodness when it comes out of the oven.

Pretty great but wait for it.....

AHHHHHHHHHH! How gorgeous is this?? If you know who says that then you watch a lot of Food Network. I served this up with my yummy cheddar mashed potatoes (recipe below) to drive home the cheese factor. I like to think of it as upping my calcium intake for the day.

Brandon was about to lose it by the time I got to this picture.  MEN!

The final product! Normally I would have included some form of green vegetable to at least bring color to the plate but I'm cooking for the boy so that is just unnecessary. We are keepin' it real healthy tonight.This meal was the perfect amount of food for 2 people.

Cheddar Mashed Potato Ingredients (serves 2)
1 large Russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sour cream
A little under 1/4 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste (I like a lot)
1 tbsp minced garlic (add more or less depending on what you like)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to a saucepan and cover with water. Put on the lid and allow the potatoes to come to a boil. Once the potatoes have started to boil, remove the lid and add salt to your liking. Let the potatoes boil for about 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return to pan.

With a fork gently break up the potatoes and add the butter, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic while they are still hot. The potatoes should be just done enough that they will come together with just a fork or spatula. Once the potatoes are good and mashed sprinkle in the cheddar and taste to check your seasoning. By the time you are finished this the meatloaf should be ready to rock.

Queso Dip!

The bf is finally in town this week and we have been on an eating binge! We have spent the past three days laying out at Folly Beach :) and being lazy, and I love it! The Braves game is about to start so I have some free time while Brandon obsesses. After a full day in the sun I decided to try and make some queso dip (aka cheese dip). We are fiends for this stuff. We usually go to our favorite, cheap Mexican place once a week. If you live on James Island you know what La Ha is all about. I have been wanting to replicate this for some time but had no clue where to start. I took my inspiration from www.recipeforcrazy.com/2012/03/restaurant-style-white-queso-recipe.html because she looked like she had it down and I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I was skeptical about it but this was about as close as your can get to the real deal! He licked the bowl clean so I call that a success.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1/4 lb White American Cheese
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp chopped white onion
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno
1 tbsp juice of pickled jalapeno
Splash of milk
Couple shakes of Hot Sauce (I used Frank's)

Here's my sous chef/bf making sure the onion and jalapeno were sufficiently diced to his liking.

Place all the ingredients into a double boiler. I do not have a double boiler. I need some new equipment desperately. I used a regular saucepan with a glass bowl on top. Whatever works. Here it is. And Brandon is still dicing.

Stir all the ingredients as they melt together. This will only take a few minutes. If it's too thick add a splash more milk or water.

Once you have reached the melty delicious stage, pour into a bowl and start shoveling. If you are sharing with a person, it's a battle. This lasted about 5 minutes.

I turned my back and this was all that remained. RIP queso. It's been real.